First you need to get the diopter setting of the EVF set for your eye.....it is the little wheel on the left side of the viewfinder.

Just adjust it while looking at the menu.....once you see that real clear, try the Manual focus again...My own preference is not to use the Focus assist.

And you need to hold a 1/2 press of the shutter to MF unless you are in total manual mode.

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Now why did I not think about that (use the menu to set the eyepiece).

You lost me with the half press.

In Full Manual you do not need to halfpress ?

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Full manual = you set the shutterspeed and aperture then you do not need to 1/2 press the shutter button to manual focus... if your in aperture priority mode, the 1/2 press would not be necessary either. I think? you need to lock the aperture somehow either the AE lock or the 1/2 press.

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In the MFA you DO need to use the half press ?

Does that sound right ? If you are in Program mode

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If you are in the RED A mode or program mode you need to 1/2 press the shutter,to lock the aperture as that effects the focus distance.

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The manual focus assist is that magnified thing in the EVF....I find it difficult to use.

One of the things I was really looking forward to with the FZ30 over my Dimage Z2 was the manual focus ring. But I wasn't really planning to use it, I just thought I'd put the camera in MF, then hit the focus button, that way I could avoid having to wait for the AF to catch between shots. But the AF on the FZ30 works so well and so fast, even in low light, that I've not really needed to do that.

I did, however, have to MF over the weekend, and it was nice. Just spin that ring around until the focus is right... Nice. Maybe it's due to my young eyes, but I like it.

The manual focus assist is really tuff to use. I have no idea how people can become acustomed to it. The Auto Focus on the FZ30 is very good ineed. I'm still having problems in the Manual Focus for some reason, it should not be this difficult to focus the camera manually.

I adjust my focus and take my picture but the majority of the times the pictures are not in focus what I see with my eye and what is produced is different ? Any ideas ?